Beef Pepper Masala

Beef Pepper Masala

The item in the agenda had to be fulfilled some day or the other and we ventured out in this NO- rain-delayed- Monsoon sunny Saturday afternoon towards Joseph’s at Bandra. Asked for some tenderloin steak beef about 500 grams and a few packets of bacon, the latter having nothing to with the topic here.

Came back home and slept after some delicious homemade Pav Bhajji. Post siesta had a cuppa tea and then cut the steak pieces in to medium-small pieces.

Peeled about 25 cloves of Garlic and kept it on my arrangement plate. De-skinned about 4 medium sized potatoes and cut them into…not too big pieces. Fried them in oil, fully cooked and set them aside.

The actual action started after this.

Heated the oil mixed with a tbsp of ghee and put in the following:
Medium Crushed – 5 Green Cardamoms, 10 Cloves, I Black Cardamom, 10 Pepper Corns
And a Bay Leaf.

Once the above was kind of done (all in medium flame), diluted 1 tbsp of Ginger Paste and 2 Tbsp of Garlic Paste and put it in and waited for the moisture to dry up.

Increased the flame now, and in went the meat. Stirred the meat nicely for the juices to seal and then reduced the flame to low. Some moisture would come out and once that evaporated, I put in the masala as follows-----------> ½ tsp of Turmeric powder, 1 tsp each of Coriander, Cumin and Red Chili Powder and 1 tbsp of Black Pepper Powder. Mixed the meat and the masala nicely and stirred often and on until the oil separated. Added those Garlic Cloves too while the masala was being cooked and along with that added a few whole red chilies.

Then poured in 2 tbsps of beaten curd, 2 tsps of vinegar and stirred it again. Added salt to taste along with a minute pinch of sugar. Heated up some water and added the same and covered and cooked until the meat was fully cooked. Before covering the wok I spread those potatoes on top of the stuff but did not mix it in.

It would have taken another 10 minutes or so and then switched of the flame and transferred the same to a bowl.

We had this with some buttered rice, but any Indian Bread would go well too. Next is your turn!!

Water Chestnut Mint Salad

Water Chestnut Mint Salad


Peel the chestnuts and place them in a bowl
Add Chilli Flakes
Add Lime Juice
Add salt
Add halved cherry tomatoes
Add Coarsely ground Black Pepper
Add Olive oil
Mix and then serve chilled

Indian Salmon Fry

Amritsari Fried Fish is quite popular and we have had experts producing and talking about it in the various forums and outside them. Yours truly had prepared a Carom flavoured King Fish months back. With inspiration from all the experts and some tweaks prepared this today.
Ingredients & Process:
A.
300 grams of Rawas (Indian Salmon) cubes
1 tsp of Ginger Paste
2 Tbs of Garlic Paste
1 ½ Tbs of Red Chilly Paste
1 Lime – Juice Extract
Salt

Marinate the fish with the all the other ingredients and allow the flavours to seep in for about 45 minutes or so.

B.

2 tbs of Gramflour (Besan)
1 Tbs of Tempura Powder
½ tsp of Turmeric Powder
½ tsp of Red Chilly Powder
½ tsp of Carom Seeds
1/2 tsp of Garam Masala Powder
1 Tbs of Vinegar
Salt if required

Mix the above with a bit of Yoghurt and make a thick paste. Apply the paste to the fish.

C.

Heat Oil in a wok.
Deep Fry in batches.
Serve Hot with a Dip.

The Dip:

3 Tbs of Mayo
1 tsp of Wasabi Paste
½ lime juice
½ tsp of Black Pepper Powder

Braised Tofu with Mushrooms

Braised Tofu with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms
Tofu cut into Cubes
Chopped Garlic
Shaoxing Wine
Hoisin Sauce
Light and Dark Soy Sauce
Chicken Stock
Normal Oil
Sesame Oil
Spring Onions cut into ½ inch pieces

Heat oil and deep fry the tofu pieces until light brown and set aside.

In a wok add a bit of oil, heat it and add the chopped garlic and spring onions.
Stir for a few seconds and then add the fried tofu and stir again.
Add the soy sauces, the wine and the hoisin sauce.
Stir and then add adequate stock.
Bring to a boil and simmer for a while until the mushrooms are cooked and then ensure the liquid evaporates.
Mix a bit of sesame oil for flavor and serve.

Amphawa Chicken Soup

Amphawa Chicken Soup!!


This is a simple Thai soup that is available at road side stalls or floating markets in Thailand and many chefs have drawn inspiration and produced their own tweaks. The soup is tasty, flavorful and wholesome. The procedure as follows:


Ingredients:

Chicken Stock
Chicken Breast
Rice Noodles
Sliced Green Beans
Coconut Milk
Mushrooms
Fish sauce
Lemon Juice
Lemon Grass
Ginger
Kafir Lime Leaves
Coriander Roots
Fried Garlic


Pour chicken stock in a saucepan, add grated ginger, lemongrass, kafir lime leaves, coriander roots and bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the flame and add the chicken slices and let it simmer for a minute.
Add the blanched mushrooms and the raw beans.
Add the coconut milk.
Let the soup simmer for a 3-4 minutes.
Switch off the flame and add Lemon juice.

Serving:

In a soup bowl place a swirl of cellophane noodles. Place some mushrooms and chicken and other ingredients on the noodles. Now gently pour the soup around the noodles and on it. Garnish with some red bird chillies and fried Garlic.

Shorshe Dhyanrosh – Okra with Mustard

Shorshe Dhyanrosh – Okra with Mustard

What we need:
500 grams of Okra/Dhyanrosh cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces
Two medium Potatoes cut into longitudinal pieces
4 tablespoons of Yellow Mustard Paste
½ tsp of Nigella Seeds
½ tsp of Turmeric Powder
½ tsp of Red Chilly Powder
Slit Green Chillies
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Mustard Oil

Process:

Heat Oil in a Kadai
Add the tempering in terms of Nigella Seeds
Add the potatoes, stir and after a minute add the Dhyanrosh
Stir, lower the flame and let both the items cook uncovered. Stir off and on.
Once the Dhyanrosh softens considerably sprinkle the Powders and salt, toss the vegetables and then mix in the mustard paste.
Nap the vegetables with masala, add the sugar and leave it on low flame for about 10 minutes.
Then add 2 tsps of Mustard Oil, the Green Chillies, switch off the flame and keep the vessel covered for a while.
Serve hot with rice.

Eurasian Roast Chicken

Eurasian Roast Chicken

 

1)      Boil about 1.5 liters of water with some Kafir Lime leaves, Garlic, ¼ th cup of a 75/25 % mix of Table Salt and Sugar for 1 minute or so. Switch of flame and allow the liquid to cool.

2)      Strain the water (discard the leaves, keep the garlic in a separate bowl) in a large vessel and immerse the chicken in that solution. Let in rest that solution for about 4 hours or so in the fridge.

3)      Post brining, pick up the chicken from the liquid(discard the water).  Pat dry the chicken and set aside.

4)      In the meantime make a mix of the following:

3 Tbs Soya Sauce

1 Tbs Shaoxing Wine (Rice Wine) -- Substitute Dry Sherry

2 tsp Chilli Oil

1 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder

2 inch ginger – finely grated

2 Tbs Coarsely Ground Black Pepper

5)      Rub this mixture all over the chicken and also the interiors; wrap with a foil and let it rest inside the refrigerator for an hour or so.

6)      Preheat the oven to about 220 degrees Celsius

7)      Take out the chicken, place it on a tray, rub olive oil including the interiors between the skin and the meat)  all over.  Open the oven wrap the bird with a foil and place it in the oven to cook for about 90 minutes at 180. Once done,  take it out and discard the foil.

8)      Preheat the oven to 250 Celsius

9)      Rub butter all over the chicken and blast it with heat for about 10 minutes for the skin to real crispy.

10)   Once done, take out the chicken and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle some dried oregano. And then carve and serve!!